Driving mechanism for carding machines



Oct. 11, 1955 A. VIEHWEGER DRIVING MECHANISM FOR CARDING MACHINES Filed 001;. 8, 1953 INVENTOR. 412/7052 Vlefiwe e/ BYWWQ" M ATTORNEY DRIVING MECHANISM FOR CARDING MACHINES August Viehweger, Caledonia, Mich. Application October 8, 1953, Serial No. 384,991

8 Claims. c1. 74-722 This invention relates to improvements in driving mechanism for carding machines.

The invention is an improvement on and embodies some of the features of the driving mechanism described connecting individual electric motors to carding machines previously driven from a common shaft and which permits slipping of the driving connection to the machine.

Second, to provide driving mechanism for the carding cylinder and stripper roll of a carding machine, which mechanism is easily mounted on either end of the machine and is easily adjusted to permit slowing of the carding cylinder while the stripping roll is operated.

Third, to provide a novel motor support adapted to support a motor on a carding machine for operative connection to an adjustable chain drive mechanism connected to the machine and to adjustabiy support the housing to vary the tension in the belt connection between the motor and the chain drive.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings illustrate a highly practical form of the drive mechanism operatively associated with a carding machine.

Fig. l is a fragmentary end elevational view of the drive mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the driving mechanism.

fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line 33 in Fig. 2 and illustrating the mounted bracket for the motor.

Fig. 4 is a detailed crcss-sectional view through the chain drive housing support taken along the plane of the line 44 in Fig. 3.

The drawings illustrate conventionally a carding machine 1 having a carding cylinder shaft 2 projecting from the end thereof. The machine is supported on a framework generally indicated at 3 and the end of the shaft 2 is supported in a bearing 4 mounted on the top of a pedestal A stripper roll shaft 6 extends along the side of the machine as is common in this type of machine and projects beyond the end of the machine.

The cylinder shaft 2 is arranged to be driven by a chain 7 trained around a first sprocket 8 and a second sprocket 9. The sprockets 8 and 9 are mounted within a housing 10 which is rotatably adjustably mounted on the projecting end of the shaft The sprocket 9 is rotatabiy mounted on an intermediate shaft 11 which is journaled in the housing 10 eccentrically with respect to the cylinder shaft 2. The shaft 11 projects from the housing 10 and carries pulleys 12 which are adapted to be belt driven as will be described in greater detail presently.

STQTES Patent The housing 10 and the chain drive mechanism there in is more particularly described and claimed in the above mentioned application of Dowdy and is therefore not described in greater detail. As in the Dowdy application the housing 10 is provided with projecting ears 13 to which adjusting and supporting means for the housing 10 can be secured.

Coacting with the chain drive mechanism and housing 10 is a motor support indicated generally at 14 and including a pair of opposed inwardly and upwardly opening angle members 15. The angle members 15 are conveniently bolted to the pedestal 5 by the same bolts 16 which secure the shaft bearing 17 to the pedestal. Secured to the upper ends of the angle members 15 are horizontal angle bars 18 which project horizontally and axially outwardly from the carding machine and form supports for a motor support plate 19. The motor support plate supports an individual electric motor 20 over the projecting end of the carding cylinder shaft and over the housing 10. The motor 2% is provided with an axially outwardly extending shaft 21 having multiple inner pulleys 22 arranged in co-planar relation with the pulleys 12 on the intermediate shaft 11. An outer pulley 23 of smaller diameter is provided on the end of the motor shaft. The co-planar pulleys 12 and 22 are drivingl y connected by belts 2d and in order to support the rotatable chain drive housing 13 to properly tension the belts 24 the motor support plate 19 is provided toward each end with a slot 25. The hanger bolt 26 has its lower end connected to one of the ears 13 and projects upwardly through one of the slots 25. A nut 27 threaded on the hanger bolt bears against a support block 28 which embraces the hanger bolt and rests upon the motor support plate 19 below the nut. The support block 23 has a lever 29 secured to one side thereof by a screw 3t and the lower end of the lever has an eccentric portion including a fiat surface 31 (see Fig. 3) adapted toengage the motor support plate 19. With the flat surface 31 engaged with the plate the lever, support block 23 and hanger bolt 26 are in their lowest adjusted position to apply driving tension to the belts 24. Rotation of the lever 29 brings a raised portion of the eccentric lower end of the lever into engagement with the motor support plate to raise the swinging end of the chain drive housing and reduces the driving tension in the belts 24 as will be understood.

The duplicate ears 13 on the chain drive housing and the duplicate slots 25 at each end of the motor support plate 19 permit the motor support 14 and the chain drive housing 10 to be applied to either end of the carding machine to obtain the desired rotation of the carding cylinder shaft. At either end of the machine the drive housing 10 may be swung to either side of the carding machine shaft and suspended from the support plate 19 so the drive mechanism may be controlled from either side of the machine. To provide a driving connection to the stripper roll shaft 6 from either end of the carding machine, the motor support plate 19 is provided with an angle shaped bracket 32 which may be secured to the plate on either side of the motor 20. The bracket 32 projects between the reaches of the driving belts 24 and has a depending outer end 33 on which a stub shaft 34 is mounted. The shaft 34 supports a double pulley 35 having one portion co-planar with the previously described pulley 23 on the motor shaft and another portion co-planar with a pulley 36 on the stripper roll shaft 6. A short belt 37 continuously drives the pulley 35 from the motor 20 and it will be noted that the relatively fixed mounting of the pulley 35 provides an even driving tension in this belt. When it is desired to operate the stripper roll a rope belt 38 is snapped around the pulleys 35 and 36 and this operation of connecting the belt 28 is facilitated by the exposed position of the pulley 35 axially outwardly from the planes of the driving belts 24 and 3.7. The stripper roll is commonly actuated once during each seven or eight hours of operation of the carding cylinder and during this operation the drive to the carding cylinder is slowed or slipped by operation of the lever 29 as was described above. This permits the carding cylinder to slow down or coast for one or two revolutions while the stripper roll is operated.

I have'thus described a highly practical form of driving mechanism for carding machines. Various modifications or changes in structural detail of the apparatus may be made as desired without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Drive mechanism for a carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted on a frame comprising, brackets mounted on said frame on opposite sides of said cylinder shaft and extending thereabove, a motor support plate carried on the tops of said brackets, a motor mounted on said plate with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said plate and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to said cylinder shaft, a cylinder drive chain trained around sprockets mounted in said housing on said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to. said housing and extending through said plate, a lever connected to said hanger and having an eccentric periphery engaging said plate to support said hanger and said housing at different levels below said plate to vary the tension in the belt connection between said motor and said fourth shaft, a bracket secured to said plate on the same side of said motor as said hanger, a stub shaft on said last bracket, a stepped pulley on said stub shaft positioned axially outwardly of said pulley on said fourth shaft, a belt drivingly connecting said pulley on said stub shaft with said motor shaft, and a belt drivingly connecting said pulley on said stub shaft with a pulley on said stripper roll shaft, said plate having holes formed therein adapted to receive said hanger and said last bracket alternatively on each side of said cylinder shaft.

2. Drive mechanism for a carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted on a frame comprising, brackets mounted on said frame on opposite sides of said cylinder shaft and extending thcreabove, a motor support plate carried on the tops. of said brackets, a motor mounted on said plate with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said plate and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls. inparallel offset relation to. said cylinder shaft, a cylinder drive chain trained around sprockets mounted in said housing on said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to. a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending through said plate, a lever connected to said hanger and having an eccentric periphery engaging said, plate to support said hanger and said housing at different levels below said plate to, vary the tension in the; belt connection between said motor and said fourth shaft, a bracket secured to said plate, a stub shaft on said bracket, a pulley on said stub shaft positioned, axially outwardly of said pulley on said fourth shaft, a belt drivingly con.- necting said pulley on said stub. shaft with said motor shaft, and a belt drivingly connecting said pulley on said stub shaft with a pulley on said stripper roll shaft,

3. Drive, mechanism for a carding; machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll; shafts mounted,

on a frame, comprising, a support connected to said frame n, opposite, ides of said cylinder shaft, and ex nding het aheve, a. met carr e n. t e. op. of a d; s ipped 4 with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said support and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to said cylinder shaft, means in said housing drivingly connecting said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending through said support, a lever connected to said hanger and having an eccentric periphery engaging said support to support said hanger and said housing at different levels below said support to vary the tension in the belt connection between said motor and said fourth shaft, a bracket secured to said support, a stub shaft on said last bracket, a double pulley on said stub shaft positioned axially outwardly of said pulley on said fourth shaft, a belt connecting said double pulley to a pulley on said motor shaft, and a belt driving- 1y connectingsaid double pulley with a pulley on said stripper roll shaft, said support having holes formed therein adapted to receive said hanger and said last bracket alternatively on each side of said cylinder shaft.

4. Drive mechanism for a carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted on a frame comprising, a support connected to said frame on opposite sides of said cylinder shaft and extending thereabove, a motor carried on the top of said support with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said support and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to. said cylinder shaft, means in said housing drivingly connecting said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said, motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending through said support, and means connected to said hanger and engaging said support to. support said hanger and said housing, a bracket secured to said support, a stub shaft on said last bracket, a double pulley on said stub shaft positioned axially outwardly of said pulley on said fourth shaft, a belt connecting said double pulley to a pulley on said motor shaft, and a belt drivingly connecting said double pulley with a pulley on said stripper roll shaft, said support having holes formed therein adapted to receive said hanger and said last bracket alternatively on each side of said cylinder shaft.

5. Drive mechanism for carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted on a frame comprising, a support connected to said frame and extending above said cylinder shaft, a motor carried on the top of said support with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said suPPOrt and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to, said cylinder shaft, means in said housing drivingly connecting said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending through said support, and a lever connected to said hanger and having an eccentric periphery engaging said support to support said hanger and said housing at different levels below said support to vary the tension in the belt connection between said motor and said fourth shaft, said support having openings formed therein adapted to receive said hanger alternatively on each side of said cylinder shaft.

6. Drive mechanism for a carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted ona frame comprising, a support mounted on said frame and extending above said cylinder shaft, a motor carried on the top of said support with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on; the end of said cylinder shaft below said support and having; a.

fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to said cylinder shaft, means mounted in said housing drivingly connecting said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending to adjacent said support, and means connected to said hanger and engaging said support to support said hanger and said housing below said support, said support being adapted to receive and engage said means alternatively on each side of said cylinder shaft.

7. Drive mechanism for carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted on a frame comprising, a support connected to said frame and extending above said cylinder shaft, a motor carried on the top of said support with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said support and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to said cylinder shaft, means in said housing drivingly connecting said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending to adjacent said support, and a lever connected to said hanger and having an eccentric periphery engaging said support to support said hanger and said housing at different levels below said support to vary the tension in the belt connection between said motor and said fourth shaft.

8. Drive mechanism for carding machine having parallel carding cylinder and stripper roll shafts mounted on a frame comprising, a support mounted on said frame and extending above said cylinder shaft, a motor carried on the top of said support with its shaft parallel to the other shafts, a housing rotatably mounted on the end of said cylinder shaft below said support and having a fourth shaft journaled in its walls in parallel offset relation to said cylinder shaft, means mounted in said housing driv ingly connecting said cylinder shaft and said fourth shaft, said fourth shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having a pulley thereon belt connected to a pulley on said motor shaft, a hanger connected to said housing and extending to adjacent said support, and means con-' nected to said hanger and engaging said support to sup port said hanger and said housing below said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,597,043 Belger Aug. 24, 1926 2,165,754 Hornack July 11, 1939 2,560,013 Varga July 10, 1951 

